The lawsuit claims hotel staff overlooked warning signs as a trafficker exploited her and other young girls on-site for weeks.
DALLAS, Texas — A woman who was trafficked for weeks at a Dallas hotel when she was 16 is suing the establishment and its parent company, alleging that staff ignored red flags and failed to intervene when she and others were sold for sex, per a legal filing.
The lawsuit, filed at the end of last year, claims the woman was brought to the Hawthorn Suites near Love Field off of Bookriver Drive in 2020 by Chris Owens, who then exploited her and at least two other victims on a daily basis for about a month.
According to her attorney, the woman was lured from the Houston area to visit Owens in Dallas, and their relationship evolved quickly.
“My client had met a guy online, and they began chatting,” said the woman’s attorney, Zeke Fortenberry. “Next thing she knew, she was being prostituted out of a room for about four weeks on a daily basis.”
According to the lawsuit, the woman’s photos were posted on sex websites, and she was repeatedly sold for sex and raped.
Her situation ended when an undercover Dallas officer, posing as a customer, arrested Owens and rescued her.
Owens was later caught trying to recruit another victim — an undercover federal agent — while out on bond. He is now serving an 11-year federal prison sentence for attempted child sex trafficking after accepting a plea deal from federal prosecutors in 2022.
Fortenberry argues the hotel’s staff should have noticed and reported signs of trafficking.
“She’s a young girl with an older man,” he said. “She shows up with no luggage. He pays cash for their rooms for multiple nights…Those are the types of things that they are supposed to be trained to look for, and they just didn’t.”
The lawsuit also points to online reviews suggesting patrons had noticed possible prostitution at the hotel. Despite these claims, Wyndham Hotels, the hotel’s parent company, has denied any wrongdoing, stating in court that the alleged acts were committed by a third party outside of its control. The company has asked for the lawsuit to be dismissed.
“The criminal justice system is meant to hold criminals accountable, and the civil courts can hold corporations accountable,” Fortenberry said.
Fortenberry added that his client is determined to see the case through to prevent similar incidents.
“I think she wants to hold the hotel accountable, and more than anything, she doesn’t want it to happen to any other girls at that hotel,” he said.
WFAA reached out to Wyndham Hotels for comment but has not heard back as of Tuesday evening.
